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To dry???

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NolaDave40

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Jun 1, 2007
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I've just made my first blueberry Melomel and it's not turning out like I planed. Maybe you can help.

15Lb Sams club honey
6 Lb blueberries
4 teaspoons of Yeast Nutrient
I made a yeast starter with wyeast sweet mead but after 24 hours it never started.
So I pitched in the same 1/2 gal starter some Champagne yeast that started right away.

I boiled 2 gals of water added the honey after about a 1/2 hour I added the blueberries. I kept the whole thing to a low boil for about 45 minutes before cooling it down and bring up to 5 gals. My O.G was 1.086 I was hoping for much higher. It fermented really well for four weeks then slowed to a stop. When I racked it the gav was 1.009 I tasted it and it was very dry. Not a hint of honey or blueberry taste at all. I added 4 teaspoons of acid blend hoping that might do something for it. So far it's given it a tart taste nothing more. I'd like to sweeten it up by adding more honey maybe more berries? What do think ?
 
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WRATHWILDE

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Mar 19, 2005
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Ouch!!!
Before we attempt to fix your batch some advice for future batches...

1st - Sams club honey is some of the worst available... First bit of Advice, never use it again.
2nd - It is not necessary to boil your must, it tends to drive off the flavors & aroma of your honey.
3rd - If you do Boil your Must... Never Boil your fruit, as most fruit contains pectins -
A soluble gelatinous polysaccharide that is present in ripe fruits and is extracted
for use as a setting agent in jams and jellies. The pectin sets during the boil and your meads
will be forever hazy.

OK, now on to fixing your batch, the champagne yeast you used probably has a tolerance of 18%, I'm guessing this was a 6 gallon batch, I'd suggest adding about 4 lbs of quality honey to help offset the Sams club honey and about 4 lbs of blueberries, if you have a 6.5 gallon carboy I'd suggest racking 1/2 of your batch on to the fruit in that, adding the 4 lbs honey, stirring well but gently enough not to oxygenate, then racking the rest of your must into the 6.5 - stirring gently again. After it has finished fermenting or has reached a gravity you're happy with, rack off the fruit and age.

Cheers,
Wrathwilde
 
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